With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
Ohigan sesshin was a challenging experience for us all. Everything that could go “wrong” went wrong, right down to the toilet overflowing on the last day. We had schedule mix-ups, a Zenster homeless woman (who lives in her van) knock on the door, one of our leaders quit and returned home, other people show up who were not expected (like my former teacher and his wife), and of course, the morning our Tenzo and her partner didn’t show up for the morning meal, as they were delayed by escaping dogs. We had 20 people in the Zendo for Sunday services, a Zendo designed for 12. Several on chairs, two ceremonial altars, and a humid, hot environment.
All of this with Taiun-sensei at our side.
At the conclusion, we held a discussion about sesshin, about Taiun’s teaching, about the intensity of our experience, and Zen in general. It was a productive airing of points of view. I am very, very pleased with our Sangha. We work hard to create harmonious support for each other. I am sometimes quite bull-headed and it takes a gang of Zensters to let me know what’s what.
In the future we will offer some movement practice, bodywork of a sort, either Tai Chi Chih or yoga or both. We will also allow for people to step out of a practice period to decompress. Our problem is actually space. We have nowhere to go that is not being used during sesshin. As we approach the winter retreat, this will disallow much relaxation out of doors.
Two alternatives come to mind: first, find a larger venue for sesshin. Second, limit sesshin in Temple to 12 and offer a second set of sesshin days. We could do, for example a Friday through Wednesday. Some might do Friday through Sunday, while others, Monday through Wednesday. We could leave two or three seats open for those wishing to do the entire week.
In any event, we will do a lot of thinking about these issues, but I do not want that thinking and discussion to in any way take away from the excellent effort and practice we did this past weekend.
With my palms together, a bow to each of you.
Daiho
Good Morning Everyone,
Ohigan sesshin was a challenging experience for us all. Everything that could go “wrong” went wrong, right down to the toilet overflowing on the last day. We had schedule mix-ups, a Zenster homeless woman (who lives in her van) knock on the door, one of our leaders quit and returned home, other people show up who were not expected (like my former teacher and his wife), and of course, the morning our Tenzo and her partner didn’t show up for the morning meal, as they were delayed by escaping dogs. We had 20 people in the Zendo for Sunday services, a Zendo designed for 12. Several on chairs, two ceremonial altars, and a humid, hot environment.
All of this with Taiun-sensei at our side.
At the conclusion, we held a discussion about sesshin, about Taiun’s teaching, about the intensity of our experience, and Zen in general. It was a productive airing of points of view. I am very, very pleased with our Sangha. We work hard to create harmonious support for each other. I am sometimes quite bull-headed and it takes a gang of Zensters to let me know what’s what.
In the future we will offer some movement practice, bodywork of a sort, either Tai Chi Chih or yoga or both. We will also allow for people to step out of a practice period to decompress. Our problem is actually space. We have nowhere to go that is not being used during sesshin. As we approach the winter retreat, this will disallow much relaxation out of doors.
Two alternatives come to mind: first, find a larger venue for sesshin. Second, limit sesshin in Temple to 12 and offer a second set of sesshin days. We could do, for example a Friday through Wednesday. Some might do Friday through Sunday, while others, Monday through Wednesday. We could leave two or three seats open for those wishing to do the entire week.
In any event, we will do a lot of thinking about these issues, but I do not want that thinking and discussion to in any way take away from the excellent effort and practice we did this past weekend.
With my palms together, a bow to each of you.
Daiho
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